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Our latest challenge:

Redesign our client’s nine-years’ outdated, 50-piece surgical training model assembly, and produce it from start to finish.

Bonus challenge:

Complete this project working with incomplete parts, incomplete assembly models and poorly organized drawings from the client’s former manufacturer.

Challenge accepted.

Why? Because this project was just plain cool, and solving precision manufacturing challenges is what we live for!

We took ownership of the complete end-to-end process: redesigning, manufacturing, assembling, warehousing and distributing the new and improved surgical training model assembly.

Quite a bit going on with this assembly!
Our medical technology client had recently purchased a San Francisco Bay area start-up specializing in a cardiovascular clip that posted very promising clinical results. The minimally invasive surgery involves implanting the clip through an arterial catheter while the surgeon watches on a nearby monitor. 

The training model we were tasked with redesigning simulates the twists and turns of the arterial pathways that the surgeon must navigate. The startup had sent a small number of these models into the field and gotten a very favorable response. Now, the program needed to scale up production to meet demand.

All we had to start with were ill-fitting parts and imprecise measurements from the previous manufacturer. We started the product “reboot” by organizing the entire assembly into a sensible bill of materials. Then we produced 3D CAD files and manufacturing drawings with the appropriate tolerances (in Solidworkds-09jju).

Using a combination of components manufactured on our CNC machines, customer-supplied parts and purchased electronics, we assembled a complete run of 50 training models from start to finish in our clean room facility.

Processes included vertical and horizontal machining centers:

PEEK machined swivel mount Vertical / Horizontal CNC Milling: Complicated geometry? No problem!
6061 T6 aluminum annulus. The core component of the assembly. Unconventional geometry, thin sections, multiple operations.

Multiaxis turning centers:

Polycarbonate fastener. Front and backside turning/threading with cross-holes.

CNC swiss screw machines:

316L Stainless. Turned entirely on one of our state-of-the-art CNC Swiss machines

CNC press brakes, different types of laser cutters:

This subassembly was completely redesigned by us for ease of manufacturing and less overall complexity. The aluminum saddle block is a machined part, whereas the aluminum clamp on top is a lasercut and CNC pressbrake formed component.
Acrylic components cut on our CO2 laser. This particular laser can cut and etch a wide variety of thermoplastics/polymers and several other kinds of nonmetallic materials.
5052 H32 Aluminum with Black anodize. Brackets manufactured using our in-house blank-cutting and forming capabilities.

Laser welders, and CNC spring coilers.

316L stainless rod and 304 stainless spring wire. This subassembly shows even more of Peridot's many in-house processes: These components require turning, forming, laser welding, and spring coiling abilities.
CNC machined camera and light housings, mounting block, and wiring.
Crimped connectors, soldered connections, multi-pin locking connectors - we've done it all!
We also have extensive experience with different types of applications for heat-shrink tubing beyond simply insulating wiring harnesses.
Final inspection, testing, and finally, packing into custom modified waterproof containers, and then they're off!

The assembly operation involved reworking old-stock customer supplied parts that did not fit, as well as extensive wiring, soldering, and insulating between optical devices, switches, lighting, inputs and outputs.

After bonding and fastening the components, we performed cleaning/inspection and functional testing. Finally, we arranged the complicated mechanical parts into a foldable packing arrangement, and packed the entire assembly in specially designed cases…Phew!

Surgical Training Model Assembly precision manufactured by Peridot Corp.

We love any challenge that comes with the opportunity to deliver superior results as a one-stop-shop. And Our medical client is thrilled with their first 50 completed assemblies! They’re already proposing further developments on the next round and telling us to ramp up for production.

Sounds good to us.